Hours into the government shutdown, it appears as though it was business as usual for most other federal agencies in the Eastern Upper Peninsula shortly before 9 a.m. today.

“It’s an easy question to answer,” said Lt. Paul Rhynard of the U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Office. “There is no impact to operations.”

Rhynard explained that all military personnel are to remain on duty and, as a result, the Coast Guard will continue to conduct search and rescue operations as well as provide homeland security and environmental disaster response for the foreseeable future.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Sault referred questions to the next level of bureaucracy. Ken Hammond Sr. who serves in the Public Affairs/Border Community Liason capacity with the Detroit Office said he was unable to answer any questions sending inquiries to the Office of Management and Budget where no one answered the phone and all media requests had to be e-mailed.

Other published accounts, however, indicate that border protection falls under the heading of essential government services and it appears as though this agency would be immune from the shutdown.

The 1437th Engineering Company is the lone agency to see any changes as a result of the federal shutdown as weekend drills for the unit have been postponed, according to Staff Sgt. Adam Orazietti, Position Training NCO.

“It does not affect our day-to-day operations,” he said noting that staff continues to man the armory early today.